News

A call to arms to anglers has been issued, urging them to demand climate-resilient fisheries to safeguard the future of our sport and the species we target.

In a just-released report – written for anglers by anglers – the American Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA) seeks to galvanise the angling community to demand action as climate change disrupts fishing experiences coast to coast.

The report, titled “For Tomorrow’s Fish: Anglers Are the Key to Climate-Resilient Fisheries,” has also been backed by more than two dozen leading outdoor brands and organisations, including Orvis, Patagonia, Far Bank, Mayfly, Bajio and many more.

Its publication kicks off a nationwide campaign to inspire and empower anglers and the recreational fishing industry to demand progress toward climate-ready fisheries that are healthy, sustainable, and abundant.  

AFFTA’s executive director Lucas Bissett explained: “This is a call to arms for an angler-led movement that can help turn the tide and protect the future of fishing.

“From changing habitats to shifting fish populations and behaviour, we can’t ignore the realities we’re seeing out on the water. As long-time stewards of our country’s waterways who are seeing these impacts firsthand, anglers have the power to make a real difference in the fight for climate-resilient fisheries – for our sport, way of life, and industry.” 

There is a long legacy of shared responsibility among anglers to protect the health of the ocean, rivers, streams and other vital marine habitats. The report highlights how anglers, who are witnessing the impacts of climate change day to day, are uniquely in tune with the realities occurring on their fishing grounds and possess specialised knowledge that can provide insights for adapting and managing US fisheries to account for climate change. 

The report details how climate change affects fish behaviour, abundance, productivity and habitat, disrupting the success and sustainability of fishing experiences coast to coast

 Sea level rise and warming waters are pushing essential fish habitats to the brink, destroying places legendary sportfish need to survive.

Some fish are more abundant in certain areas and obsolete in others, directly impacting the success and sustainability of fishing experiences.
Communities that rely on fishing-related activities are seeing extreme weather, stronger, less predictable storms and flooding that are damaging critical fishing and coastal infrastructure like docks, boats, local businesses, and coastal roads and neighbourhoods.

These climate impacts are posing never-before-seen challenges for anglers such as declines in the availability of baitfish, productivity of fish populations, and habitat health. Fishing experiences are suffering as a result, meaning long-held fishing traditions and opportunities for future generations of anglers are at risk. 

www.tomorrowsfish.org